Into Temptation (A More Than Men Novella) by Kira Sinclair Page A

nothing between them, not even space, Evie stared deep into his eyes. She let him see everything, hid nothing of herself from him. The moment carried with it an edge of discomfort — most people didn’t like to leave themselves that vulnerable, and Evie was no exception. It went against every ingrained instinct, especially when the person you were baring your soul to was a fallen angel in the service of the devil.
    “Will you be there? In Hell?”
    “No.” The single word brushed against her lips. “I’ve been banished. And even if I wasn’t, that’s not how he works. The moment he realizes you want me there, he’ll use the promise of me to bend you to his will. I’d tell you to keep us a secret, but you won’t be able to. No one hides from Lucifer, not even me.”
    “I have to do it,” she whispered.
    “I know.”
    The contract materialized between them again, this time accompanied by the pen.
    “That’s why he wants you. Convincing pure souls to sign is difficult. There aren’t many of you. He’ll torture you, try to break you. The pure ones always hold out the longest.”
    Great, she was going to be the devil’s new plaything. But that was vastly better than her daughter becoming Monroe’s.
    Without hesitation, she picked up the pen and signed at the bottom of the page with a flourish. The moment the tip of the pen lifted from the page, the paper disappeared.
    The sheltering wings around them fluttered, and the spine creaked ominously as they tightened.
    Evie wanted him to touch her, to make her forget what she’d just done, at least for a little while. She’d made the right decision, but that didn’t make it easy. Sometimes the right thing hurt.
     

 
    Chapter Six
     
     
    The next few days were a blur of activity. During the day Evie prosecuted the case. She had a new air of confidence that seemed to be winning over the jurors. While the evidence was circumstantial, it was there. And since she now believed it would be enough to win a conviction, that certainty bled into her presentation of the facts.
    Monroe’s lawyers were not happy. They spent most of their time frowning and whispering back and forth.
    But not even the knowledge of the contract she’d signed could take away all her anxiety. Hindsight being what it is, she realized she should have asked Brone just how they planned to ensure she won the case. Having a new piece of irrefutable evidence would have been nice, but it didn’t materialize.
    Evie had seen too many slam-dunk cases end up being ruled in the opposite favor for her to feel completely comfortable. She was afraid something would go wrong.
    But Brone assured her it wouldn’t. Both sides had a contract. She’d get her case, and Lucifer would get her soul.
    To distract her, Brone utilized the time they did have to blow her mind. He filled the nights with sensual pleasure like she’d never known. And was afraid she’d never know again once he left.
    And maybe that was her true Hell, knowing that the moment she got what she wanted, Brone would be gone, most likely never to be seen again. And she’d be left devastated.
    Evie wasn’t sure exactly when she’d fallen in love with him. Possibly on a dark sidewalk the moment her bullet pierced his side. Or more likely it was while he was sleeping on her couch, free of the tension and despair she now recognized forever stalked him. Or maybe it was the moment he offered her a way to protect her child…and then tried to talk her out of taking it.
    He’d been sent to collect her soul, and he’d tried to stop her. She had no idea what awaited him in Hell for that transgression, but he’d told her enough that she could imagine it would be truly terrible.
    The night before closing arguments, they lay together, entwined in her bed. Megan would be home on Monday, and Brone would be gone. Her entire world would be different. But for now they had these moments.
    She’d taken to stroking the spine of his wings. He enjoyed the